Working together key to tackling crime, says Tony Hogg
Tony Hogg, the first Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is calling on people to work with him to help make a difference to their local area.
Mr Hogg was elected in the early hours of Saturday morning after two lengthy counts at Carn Brea Leisure Centre. In the first round of the count, he received the most support with 55,257 votes (28.05%), followed in second by Brian Greenslade, who gained 24,719 (12.54%). After the second round of the Supplementary Voting system, where second choices are taken into account, Mr Hogg received a total of 69,419 votes, ahead of Mr Greenslade who had 37,243.
Although having won the election and been sworn in, Mr Hogg will not assume power until Thursday (22nd November), after the Police Authority ceases to exist in its current form at midnight on Wednesday.
Mr Hogg, who spent 30 years in the Navy, said: "I am greatly honoured to be elected as Devon and Cornwall's first Police and Crime Commissioner. I genuinely believe in this pioneering role and look forward to the challenge. This position has been established to give people a voice in deciding their policing priorities, and I will be listening. For the first time residents can hold someone directly to account at the ballot box for the way in which their community is policed.
"Whatever your views on the election or turnout, I am committed to serving everyone in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This is an exciting opportunity for everyone to get behind this new role, to get involved to help shape future priorities and work together to make a real difference.
"I'm here to get on with business and work hard. People will expect me to work closely with the Chief Constable to get things done and that's exactly what I plan to do by helping people feel more connected and engaged with the Police and Crime Plan.
"People want value for money while maintaining safety and I will do everything within the powers I have been given to ensure the resources are there to do the job and meet priorities. The task in hand is not something that can be achieved overnight. It will take time to review areas for improvement and I will be listening carefully to ensure that the issues that matter most to people are dealt with."
Mr Hogg, who was formerly the Commanding Officer at Culdrose Royal Naval Air Station and served in the Falklands and Gulf, will have to appoint a permanent Chief Constable and publish a Crime and Police Plan by March 2013.
He added: "Let's not forget that Devon and Cornwall has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and our Police Force at all levels, deserve a great deal of credit for the hard work they do. We can be proud of our Police Force and together we can make it even better.
"It's important to stress that there is a difficult road ahead and some tough decisions will have to be made. These are challenging times and I want to support the Police through them. We all want effective and efficient Policing across Devon and Cornwall - and we must have Police patrolling our streets.
"There are different challenges in our urban and rural communities, but I will be standing up for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to ensure the best possible support from central Government. I can assure you I will do what's best for our local residents."
